


Breaking The Ice

by Braincoins



Series: Shallura Holiday Month 2017 [7]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (It's just less obvious for him), (and - let's be real - pining Shiro too), F/M, Fluff, Ice Skating, SHM 2017, Shallura Holiday Month, pining Allura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 11:12:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12957981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braincoins/pseuds/Braincoins
Summary: Shiro finds an opportunity to teach Allura about the curious custom of ice skating.





	Breaking The Ice

**Author's Note:**

> for Day 9 of the Shallura Holiday Month! I went with ice skating in case that wasn't blatantly obvious. ~~Toe pick!~~
> 
> Yes, I know the title is cheesy.  
> ==============

            “You strap bladed boots to your feet and use them as a means of locomotion across ice?”

            “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

            “It certainly does!”

            Shiro shook his head, still smiling. “It’s fun.”

            Allura looked at him warily, beginning to doubt his sanity.

            “Hunk went to all the trouble of figuring out how to program the Castle’s manufactor to make ice skates in the first place,” he pointed out. “It’d be a shame not to at least try them out while we’re in the perfect place for them.” He gestured around them to the snow- and ice-covered surface of Bednam Four.

            She sighed. “Very well. We _are_ already out here, after all.” She eyed the bladed boots. “You’ll have to help me.”

            He beamed. “It would be my pleasure, Princess. Sit on that rock there; I’ll get you booted up.”

            She sat down and Shiro came over. He dropped to one knee before her, and she had the strangest surge of …warmth and pleasure. _It’s like he’s bowing in fealty to me._ She would never require such of him – his duty was to the universe, not to her – but she lost herself in the fantasy of a peaceful universe where Shiro would be able (and willing) to swear himself to her and only her…

            “Princess? Are you okay?” he asked.

            She blinked and hoped that any red in her face would be attributed to the cold. “Sorry, I was just wondering why anyone would even think to try something like this in the first place.”

            Shiro laughed, and she couldn’t help smiling. He sounded so happy, and it pleased her to know that she had been a part of that. He stood and offered her his hands. “Come on.”

            Normally she wouldn’t accept the help up. She knew how to walk perfectly well without assistance, but that was when she didn’t have these ‘ice skates’ on. So she took Shiro’s hands in hers and held on tight as he helped pull her upright.

            “Just a couple of steps to the ice,” he promised.

            She was pleased to see him walking somewhat awkwardly, at least until he got to the ice. Then he seemed, somehow, steadier. “Be careful when you step out,” he said.

            “Just don’t let go,” she insisted, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

            “I’m right here.” His voice was warm, his tone was confident, and it reassured her greatly. His swooping in closer to steady her as she wobbled after her first step reassured her more. “Don’t worry, I got you.”

            She smiled gratefully up at him and then looked down at their feet. “How are you balancing so naturally?”

            “Practice. Here, let’s just focus on balance. You hold onto me and I’ll pull you along.”

            “You can do this _backwards_?” she asked in amazement.

            He grinned at her. “Well, I used to be able to. It’s been a while since I went ice skating, but we’ll try it.”

            He made it look effortless, gliding backwards as he pulled her along with him. She couldn’t really appreciate it much; she was distracted by trying to stay upright.

            “You’re doing fine.”

            “You’re lying.”

            “I would never lie to you, Princess.”

            “I know you wouldn’t.” She smiled at him and squeezed his hands in hers. The smile that brought to his face in return made her lose her balance a little, and he pulled her in closer to keep her from falling.

            “Careful.”

            “I am being careful.”

            He snorted. “I’ll mark my calendar: On This Day, Princess Allura of Altea was actually _careful_ about something.”

            “And what does that mean?!” she asked in mock-outrage.

            “You’re constantly throwing yourself into danger.”

            “And you don’t?”

            “That’s my job.”

            “And mine as well.”

            He dropped the subject as he continued pulling her along the ice. “I don’t have a calendar to mark anyway.”

            They skated (well, he skated; she wobbled) in silence for a bit. “This isn’t so bad,” she allowed.

            “Good. Now let’s teach you how to do this on your own.”

            “I retract my statement,” she said immediately.

            He laughed and slowed them to a stop. “Too late. Now…” He let go of one of her hands.

            “Don’t let go!”

            “Calm down, you’ve got this. I’m just going to stand next to you.”

            “Don’t let go,” she all but pleaded.

            He still had one of her hands in his and he gave it a comforting squeeze. “I’m right here.” He moved around to stand next to her, still hand-in-hand. “Now, you have to push off with your feet, but they don’t need to leave the ground.”

            “What?”

            He talked her through it, almost muscle-by-muscle. Her first few attempts were unsteady, but Shiro was, as he had promised, right beside her.

            “There you go. You’re getting the hang of it!”

            “If you say so.” She was still mostly studying her feet as if they were an enemy who might betray her at any moment.

            “Trust me.”

            She looked up from her feet to find him smiling warmly at her. “I do,” she said. “Always.”

            His smile widened. “Come on, let’s see what you can do.”

            “Don’t you _dare_ let go!”

            He laughed. “So much for trusting me.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

            “I do trust you, but you have to understand this is a very strange custom to me.”

            “And frightening?”

            “I wouldn’t say that.”

            “No, of course not, Princess.” He was smirking. “But you’re doing just fine.”

            She focused on maintaining balance and a steady (if not fast) speed. She started to gain some confidence when the wobbling became rarer. “I… I do think I’m getting it.”

            “Yeah, you are.”

            “That doesn’t mean you’re allowed to let go of me,” she told him, still alternating between looking down at her feet and ahead of her to make sure she didn’t crash into anything. There was really nothing nearby to crash into, but it didn’t stop her from worrying.

            “Duly noted.” He sounded smug, and she was about to ask why when he suddenly appeared in front of her, skating backwards again, hands held out to either side of him in display.

            “Shiro!”

            “You’re doing it!” he pointed out.

            “You tricked me!”

            “I did,” he agreed, sounding and looking not the least bit sorry. He skated a little ways away from her.

            “Get back here!” She wasn’t sure if she was angry or afraid, but she knew she didn’t want him getting away from her.

            “Catch me if you can,” he charged.

            _He should know better by now than to challenge me._ She was determined to make him eat those words, and she pushed off hard, harder than she ever had before. She wobbled a bit and realized with a sudden clench of fear around her heart that she was going to fall.

            And she did… right into Shiro’s arms. “Whoa there. It’s okay; I’ve got you.”

            The first thing she felt was relief, and she focused on calming her breathing so he wouldn’t realize how frightened she’d been. But the next thing she noticed was that Shiro was breathing a little fast, too. “Everything’s okay,” he said. Even to Allura’s ears, it sounded like he was talking to himself as much as her.

            She straightened up, still holding onto him to help her with the motion. She smiled at him, then said, “I do seem to have caught you.”

            Shiro blinked and then laughed. “Technically I caught _you_.”

            “A draw then?” she offered gallantly.

            He nodded. “We caught each other.”

            They were still moving slowly. “Agreed. And maybe now you’ve learned your lesson.”

            “Yes,” he agreed. “I won’t let go of you again.”

            “I’m glad to hear that.” She smiled, and he returned it. They drifted across the ice in each other’s arms. “This is still a strange custom, but I suppose it’s not entirely bad.”

            “I’m glad you think so.”


End file.
